What It Means To Be A Family
by Kelly of the midnight dawn
Summary: A Speed Racer story about Speed, Trixie and their children. Hard decisions and people who want them dead. A little family goodness that Speed Sr. should have been allowed to have and some things that should never have happened. Adopted by Roadrunner74
1. Chapter 1

**What It Means To Be A Family**

**Chapter 1:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Speed Racer or any of his companions. I do own Rebecca (Becky) Racer.**

**A/N: This is my idea of how family life could have gone for the Racers. In this AU Speed Jr. and X are a little older and I added another Racer baby. I hope that I do justice to the fandom.**

"Faster Daddy!" Speed Racer's second born son, Speed Racer Jr., squealed from the passenger seat of the Mach 5.

Speed turned to look at the eager three-year-old "I don't know kiddo," he said slyly "You know your Mommy got mad at us last time."

"She wasn't mad," the boy protested "Mommy told me so," little Speedy tapped his helmet "I go fast like Daddy as long as I wear this."

"That's right," Spped laughed. He had gotten a rather harsh lecture from Trixie the last time he had taken the boys for a ride without helmets.

Today Trixie had taken their oldest, X, to the dentist. She had taken baby Becky with her. That left Speed to watch his namesake.

Speed did as his son had commanded. The little boy watched in amazement and cheered as trees passed by in a blur. He loved being a father. Everyday with them was better than the last. He and Trixie had been married for a little over five years now. She became pregnant with X only a few months later. Speedy and Becky soon followed.

Speed still raced quite often. Trixie and the children always accompanied him. Pops had thought that Speed and Trixie had gotten married too young but he loved his grandchildren with all his heart, though he didn't really talk to Speed much these days. Spritle, who was now a teenager, still found a way to stay in touch with his older brother though he was getting a bit big for stowing away in the Mach 5's trunk.

The Mach 5 approached a sharp turn and Speed downshifted. His son was still screaming with excitement "Yay!" the boy yelled repeatedly. Speed was around the corner and in the process of shifting gears again when he saw a dark van swerve in front of them. Speedy screamed as his father slammed on the brakes and did all he could to keep from crashing.

The Mach 5 came to a screeching stop. Speed turned to his son who had started to cry "You alright Speedy?" he asked, putting a hand on the little boy's shoulder.

"Scary," the child sobbed as he pushed the heels of his tiny hands against his eyes.

"It's alright," Speed said reassuringly. He'd never ever come so close to being in an accident with one of the children in the car. At that moment he hated himself as the possibilities of what could have happened flashed through his mind.

The driver of the van got out and approached the Mach 5 "Mr. Racer," he greeted in a none-too-kind tone. The man walked up to the passenger's side of the car which right away gave Speed a bad feeling. Without really knowing why he did it, he pushed the button to close the cockpit.

The cockpit closed just in time as the stranger pulled a gun, aiming it right at the little boy in the passenger seat. Speed couldn't help feeling infuriated that someone would dare pull a gun on any child, let alone his son. Secure in the knowledge that the cockpit glass would hold, Speed started up the car and sped away.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

"Can I have a lollipop?" X asked his mother as they left the dentist's office.

Trixie laughed "You just had a dentist appointment. You can have a lollipop later."

"Okay," X said a bit disappointed.

"Besides," Trixie smirked as she strapped Becky into her car seat "We need to get home and see what kind of trouble your father and Speedy have gotten themselves into."

The four-year-old boy laughed "Bet they went driving," he said "Vroom, vroom. Racer's go fast!"

"Yeah," Trixie said with a half smile as she slid into the car "Racer's go fast." She put the car in gear and got on the road headed home. She had barely been on the road for more than five minutes when a van pulled in front of her. She brought the car to a complete stop.

A man got out of the van and approached the car. He came up to Trixie "Good afternoon," he greeted.

Trixie had a bad feeling about this man "Good afternoon," she returned hesitantly.

"If you don't mind," the man produced a gun from his pocket "Please get out of the car."

Trixie's eyes went wide as she looked at the gun in the man's hand "What do you want?" she asked quietly, so that her son wouldn't overhear.

"I need you and your children to come with me," he told her, shoving the gun in her face.

"I'll go with you," Trixie whispered "But please don't hurt my children?"

"Sorry," the man sneared "All of you come with me or all of you die right now."

Trixie felt the fear consuming her "No," she whispered "Please…?"

Just then a familiar car whizzed up. The man holding the gun turned to see Racer X jump out of the car "What's going on here?" he questioned, pinning the driver to the hood of Trixie's car in one swift movement.

The man snarled up at the masked racer "Wouldn't you like to know," he growled angrily. The man managed to get free of Racer X, though he had lost his grip on his gun. He ran for his van and put it in high gear, speeding away from the scene.

"You'd better get home Trixie," Racer X told her.

Trixie didn't stick around to second guess the masked racer. She put the car in gear and headed for home. She would call the police from there.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Speed picked his daughter up from her crib and placed her on the changing table. Trixie was in the living room with Inspector Detector, describing the man who had tried to abduct her and the children. Speed had a sneaking suspicion that it was the same man who had approached him and little Speedy earlier that day. He had already dexcribed that man and the van he had been driving to the inspector.

"She's getting big," Racer X commented from behind him as Speed put a fresh diaper on his daughter.

Speed picked up the baby and turned to Racer X "Thanks for being there today," he said somberly "I wish I could have gotten my hands on that monster."

"I was on my way to see you actually," Racer X told him "I just happened to pass by at the right moment."

"Well, I'm glad you were there," Speed said, rocking Becky in his arms "I don't want to think of what could have happened…"

"Don't think that way," Racer X quickly put an end to his little brother's despairing thoughts.

Trixie walked into the room. Speed moved immediately to wrap his arm around her. She managed a half smile in Racer X's direction before turning to her husband "Inspector Detector says he's going to put his best people on tracking down this man," she explained.

Speed leaned in and kissed his wife "It'll be okay," he whispered to her, though he wasn't so sure himself.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Speedy and X ran into the room screaming for their parents at the top of their lungs.

Trixie and Speed managed to scoop their two boys into their arms along with Becky. They stood in their family embrace. "What is it?" Speed asked his sons in a soothing voice.

Speedy buried his face in his mother's shoulder but X piped up "There's a man at the window," he reported.

Racer X was the first one out of the room. Speed set X on the ground and ran after him. They reached the boys' room they saw that one of the two windows was partway open and the outside screen had been removed. The window wasn't opened wide enough for anyone to have gotten into the house. Racer X threw it open the rest of the way and flung himself out into the bushes below. "Someone's been here," he reported to Speed "Call the police!" he ordered as he started running "I'll see if I can catch him!"

Speed did as Racer X had instructed. Within minutes, police were combing the yard of the Racer home as well as searching the neighbors' yards. Speed and Trixie watched them as they worked.

"Why would someone come after our children?" Trixie asked. It was clear from her tone that she was afraid.

Speed was afraid too but he was trying to conceal his fear from his wife and children. He was trying, but he was failing "I don't know," he whispered as he drew Trixie closer to him.

Becky was held tight in Trixie's grip as the baby slept. Speedy and X had fallen asleep finally and Racer X was standing outside their room, keeping an eye out in case the man attempted to sneak back in.

"Why is this happening?" Trixie asked.

Speed had been asking himself the same question. He couldn't think of any reason. He had made his share of enemies in his time but most of them were in jail or dead. He couldn't think of anyone who remotely resembled the man that he had seen while he was in the Mach 5 with his son.

Becky woke up and began to whimper. Speed reached out and accepted his daughter from his wife "I'll take her," he told Trixie "I believe you need another diaper change young lady," he laughed as he carried his daughter to the nursery. Trixie followed close behind.

"Maybe things will be a little less hectic next week when we're in Brazil for the South America Grand Prix."

Speed nodded as Becky reached out and grabbed her father's hand, holding on to it with all the might in her little body. "I'm sure it will," Speed said but truthfully, he wasn't so sure.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Racer X was standing guard and Trixie had fallen asleep. Speed left the house in complete darkness. He hoped that no one would see him. But perhaps someone already had. He walked instead of taking the Mach 5 to Sparky's house. He unlocked the basement door with his key and snuck in. He flipped the light on and made his way to the desk at the far end of the room. He fumbled for the key to the bottom drawer and removed the papers that lay inside.

He spread the plans upon the desk. Sparky had been helping him with this idea for months. He inspected the area carefully. There didn't seem to be anything out of place. This was the only reason he could think of why anyone would come after his family. The true enormity of what those plans represented was exactly why he kept them at Sparky's and only he and Sparky knew about them.

The Mach 6, his dream, a chance to change the world. An engine that could run on something other than gas. An engine that could ensure a cleaner planet for his children to grow up in. And a car that wouldn't need to rely on gas but instead used air for fuel would never run out of fuel.

This was an idea that some people would kill to stop. There was big money in oil. Speed and Sparky's design plan had the power to save the world but it would also topple the businesses of some of the most powerful and ruthless people in the world. People who whould do anything to keep their power, even kill innocent women and children if it meant they could keep their stranglehold on the world.

Speed turned when he heard footsteps on the stairs. "Speed," Sparky called into the basement "I wasn't expecting you to show up tonight to work on the plans."

"Just thought I'd pop in," Speed shrugged.

"I heard that the police were at your house twice today. What happened?"

Speed turned to stare back down at the plans for the Mach 6. "Someone tried to snatch Trixie and the kids today," he began "The same someone tried to run me and Speedy off the road today and then he pointed a gun at my son. And tonight, someone tried to sneak into the house." Speed paused placing a hand on the plans "Someone's after my family Sparky and I'm afraid that this is the reason."


	2. Chapter 2

**What It Means To Be A Family**

**Chapter 2:**

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who read. And special thanks to BatWing!**

Trixie woke up in the middle of the night to find her husband just getting back into bed. She shifted to her side and propped her chin against her hand "Speed?" she asked.

Speed froze momentarily. He was hoping that he could sneak back into bed without Trixie knowing. He sat down on the bed. "Go back to sleep," he whispered to her, hoping she would take his advice.

She sat up beside him "Where were you?" she asked "Speedy came in here an hour ago. He had a bad dream. And that's when I noticed you had gone. Racer X assured me that you weren't in any danger, so I stayed up for a little while with Speedy. He spent the whole time asking where you were Speed."

"I'm sorry," Speed said as he inched closer to her on the bed. He had been out of the house many nights when one of his children had had a nightmare. Always in the past he had been there. He and Trixie would calm their children's fears as a team. He slid an arm around Trixie's waste but she pushed it away.

"Where were you Speed?" she asked him "What was so important that you left in the middle of the night?"She was between shouting and begging for the answer "I know this isn't the first time… but after all that's happened today…" her voice trailed off until it was just above a whisper "Why?"

Speed cupped her face, guilt filling him. He couldn't tell her. If he did, then she would be in even more danger than she already was. "I can't answer that," he said softly "I wish I could Trixie but… you just have to trust me."

Trixie looked down at the sheets for a moment "I do trust you Speed," she replied without looking up at him "I just wish I knew what's been going on in your head."

Speed reached out again and laid his arm around her waste again. She hesitated but didn't push him away "I wish I could tell you," he admitted.

"Why can't you?" Trixie asked "Are you trying to protect me, protect the kids? I've got news for you. It's not working. Speed, someone shoved a gun in my face today and told me that he was going to take me and my children."

Speed pulled her as close as he could "I know," he whispered. The events of the day were still fresh in both their minds.

"I'm afraid," Trixie said, half sobbing as she flung her arms around her husband's neck and buried her face in his chest to muffle the sound "And you sneaking off in the middle of the night isn't helping."

"I'm here now," Speed said, tears coming to his own eyes as he held Trixie tight. He hated that he was doing this to her. He hated that he had brought this upon his family.

"Daddy," A soft voice from the door of the room called. Speed and Trixie turned to see Speedy standing there in his pajamas.

"Did you have another nightmare sweetheart?" Trixie asked as she reached down to help her son onto the bed.

The little boy embraced both his parents before settling in his father's lap "I'm scared," he whispered but he wasn't anymore specific than that. At his age it was hard to be specific about such things. He couldn't explain the dreams he had had about his parents being gone forever. He couldn't explain the feelings of loneliness that the dreams filled him with.

"Why don't you stay in here with us tonight?" Trixie suggested. The boy nodded and settled himself between his parents.

Ten minutes later Becky began to cry. Since the baby had been sleeping through the night on a fairly regular basis for the last couple of months, this was a strange thing. Speed sat up at the same moment as Trixie "I'll go get her," he offered.

Speed walked down the hall to the nursery. He picked up his daughter "Now what's the matter angel?" he asked. Of course Becky couldn't talk yet and so she couldn't provide her father with an answer.

Speed quickly assessed that his daughter wasn't hungry or wet. She had calmed the instant that she was in his arms. He had almost believed that she had fallen asleep but when he attempted to put her down, she began to cry again. Speed picked her up again and she quieted down instantly.

"Alright, alright," Speed chuckled "I get the message "You wanna come stay with Mommy and Daddy tonight?" He began carrying his daughter in the direction of his and Trixie's bedroom when he saw X, standing in the door to his and Speedy's room "What are you doing up?" he asked his eldest child.

"Couldn't sleep," the boy replied "Where's Speedy?" X asked, concerned.

"Come on," Speed extended a hand down to his son "Let's go see your brother and Mommy."

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Daybreak found the Racer children sleeping soundly in the warm security of their parents' embrace. Trixie too was fast asleep after what had been a restless couple of hours. Speed hadn't slept more than a few intermittent minutes. He was laying in bed, watching the early morning light drift across the faces of his wife and children.

He was feeling increasingly powerless to protect them. The Mach 6 was too important to abandon. He knew that. Sparky had said time and time again that it would change the world. But someone knew about it, somehow, they knew. And even if he scrapped the project there would be people who would believe that he had truly stopped. It was too late to go back now. Someone wanted him and they were willing to go through his family to get him.

Speed got up and dressed silently. He didn't want to wake Trixie or the children. He snuck out of the house and approached the Mach 5. He stopped in his tracks when a voice behind him startled him "Going somewhere?"

Speed jumped and turned in the direction of the voice. He relaxed immediately "Oh," he breathed a sigh of relief "Racer X, it's you."

"Where are you headed Speed?" Racer X asked.

Speed shrugged but didn't answer.

"You know you can't keep doing this to them," Racer X told Speed "Last night Trixie panicked when she couldn't find you. You've got to stop sneaking away from them."

"Well at least I come back," Speed grumbled as he climbed behind the steering wheel of the Mach 5. His brother Rex had been on his mind a lot lately. Every time he snuck out of the house to work on the Mach 6 with Sparky. Rex had been impulsive when he left and hadn't even considered the feelings of the little brother he was leaving behind. Speed would always come back. He would never in his life be like Rex. He would never abandon his family. He would always come back.

Speed stuck the key into the ignition and was about to turn it when Racer X's voice interrupted his thoughts "Someone's watching you."

Speed looked up to see his youngest son standing on the front steps. He took the key out of the ignition and pocketed it as he got out of the car. "Hey buddy," he said gently as he knelt down beside the little boy "What are you doing up?"

"Are you leaving?" Speedy asked, looking up at his father with wide innocent eyes.

Speed ruffled his son's brown hair but didn't answer straight away. He didn't know what he could say to a child about all of this. He didn't know how to make his young son understand.

The child wrapped his little arms around his father's neck "Daddy, don't go," he whimpered "Please don't leave?"

Speed wrapped his arms around his son and stood up. He walked over to the Mach 5 and leaned against it. He looked up at Racer X in complete and utter defeat before turning back to the boy in his arms. "I'm not leaving kiddo," he promised.

"Good," the little boy said.

Speed carried his son back inside the house where he could see Trixie just emerging from the bedroom with Becky in her arms and X dragging her by the leg of her pajamas. Trixie's expression relaxed noticeably when she saw her husband and son "Goodmorning," she greeted them "Is there a reason you're up so early?" she asked suspiciously.

Speed set his son on the floor and walked over to his wife, kissing her tenderly "I couldn't sleep," he told her.

Trixie had plenty of other questions but she wasn't about to ask them with the kids right there to hear the argumentative sobbing that she was sure to detiriate into. Life was getting to be far more complicated than it was when she and Speed were first married and she didn't know why.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

"Something has to be done about Speed Racer," the man at the well appointed and expensive looking desk said to the men who stood in front of him. "This design of his could mean the end of the oil industry as we know it."

"What do you want us to do Boss?" One of the men asked "I would've grabbed the wife and two of the kids but Racer X showed up."

"Then your next assignment becomes clear," the man behind the desk said, folding his fingers together in a pyramid "You have to eliminate Racer X."

"Eliminate Racer X?" The group of men standing before the desk said in surprise.

"You heard me," the man snarled "Get rid of him. Then Speed Racer and his family will be at our mercy."

"But, Boss, Racer X has taken down whole squads of men," another man interjected.

"So," the leader said, unconcernedly "I'm perfectly alright with that. Just get rid of him."

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Trixie had dropped the children off with Speed's parents where she and Speed knew they would be safe for the afternoon. She had to talk to her husband and she needed to do it in private.

She sat in the passenger seat of the Mach 5 as they took a familiar route. They had started the drive chatting with each other about the children but now they sat in silence. He was keeping something big from her and she knew it.

Out of the blue she spoke. Her words were calm, even "Is it another woman?" she asked. She'd been jealous of Speed's many female admirers when they were younger but ever since he'd proposed to her, she'd believed that she was the only woman in his life. But his recent behavior had stirred up feelings of insecurity she hadn't felt in years.

Speed pulled the Mach 5 over and turned to her "Never Trixie," he told her "There will never be another woman in my life."

"How can I believe you?" she asked, looking away from him.

Speed couldn't think of anything to say. He had betrayed her trust. He was hiding things from her and sneaking away at all hours. What was there to say? He couldn't tell her the truth, not without putting her in danger.

Tears came to Trixie's eyes "I wish you would say something," she whispered.

"I wish I could," Speed murmured as he started up the car again.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Racer X watched from a distance as Speed and Trixie's children frolicked with Spritle and Chim-Chim. Spritle had taken to his role as uncle with surprising ease. Likewise, Chim-Chim had taken to being a favorite playmate of the young Racer children.

Racer X couldn't help smiling as he watched Becky crawl to where Spritle sat and attempt to pull himself into his lap. Spritle picked up the child and rubbed noses with her. It was times like this that Racer X felt a longing in his heart. He kept his distance from his family for good reason but he did sometimes wish that he could be an uncle to his niece and nephews. It would be so nice to run around, unmasked and carefree with those adorable little ones.

Racer X heard footsteps approaching him. He turned to see Speed and Trixie approaching. He quickly hid out of sight. And waited until the young parents had retrieved their children to emerge. He didn't want to be seen at that moment.

When Speed, Trixie and their children had left, Racer X returned to his car. He got in and pulled onto the road. In a matter of minutes, he found himself boxed in by cars. Each car had two people in it, one driver and another person in the passenger seat, holding a rifle. Racer X kept his head low as he attempted to escape the trap.


	3. Chapter 3

**What It Means To Be A Family**

**Chapter 3: **

**A/N: I've been on vacation and separated from the internet. The plus is that I've gotten a lot of writing done. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first two chapters. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.**

It was late and the children had long since fallen asleep. Trixie and Speed sat across from one another at the kitchen table. They had been sitting there like that for half an hour now. Neither of them wanted to speak for fear that it would lead to an argument. Trixie finally got up from the table and walked over to the window. She stared out at the darkness for a long time without saying anything.

Finally she turned and keeping her gaze focused on the floor. She couldn't take the silence anymore. She couldn't take the tension anymore "When did you stop trusting me?" she asked.

Speed stood up and took two steps in her direction, afraid to invade her personal space but at the same time, finding it impossible to keep away "I've never stopped trusting you Trixie," he told her.

"I don't believe you," she whispered, turning back to the window, unable to continue the conversation.

Speed came to stand beside her "I love you," he told her.

"I love you," she returned without looking at him though the words hadn't popped out automatically. She did love him, with all her heart, she had for years. "But there's something you're not telling me, something big and it scares me."

"I have my reasons," Speed murmured lamely.

"What reasons?" Trixie asked, turning sharply to face him "What reasons could there possibly be for all this secrecy?"

Speed could tell that she was angry and she had every right to be. He turned his gaze towards the darkened landscape outside "I'm afraid," he admitted "I'm afraid of what will happen if I tell you. I'm afraid that if you know what I've been doing than you'll be more of a target."

"How could I be anymore of a target?" she asked "Whoever you've gotten into trouble with, they don't seem to have a problem with going after children."

"They just want me," Speed said, still staring out the window "If they get what they want, they'll leave you and the children alone."

"Speed," Trixie breathed as she wrapped her arms around him "You aren't… You can't… Please don't…"

"They've left me with no choice," Speed told her "I have to. It's the only way to keep you safe."

"No," Trixie pleaded "We can run away. We can find some place where they can't follow us."

Speed cupped her face in his hand and brought her gaze to meet his "That's not the life I want for you. That's not the life I want for our children."

"I'm not letting you do what you're thinkin of," she said firmly, gripping him with all her might and willing him to stay in her arms "I'm not going to lose you."

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Racer X pulled himself from the wreckage of his car and crawled a few feet before collapsing. The men had fired several times at him. Luckily, none of the bullets had hit him in any vital areas but one did glance his arm. The other bullets had hit the car from every angle. The confusion that the men had caused and their dirty driving tactics added to the gunfire had sent Racer X's car spinning out of control. It had rolled over several times before coming to a complete stop. The men had assumed that no one could survive a crash like that and as Racer X lay there on the ground, he was beginning to think that ultimately they were right.

He had broken his left leg in the crash and his right arm, the arm that did not have the gunshot wound, was sticking out at an awkward angle. He was in more pain than he thought he could ever bare. It took all his willpower to keep from passing out. He needed to get to a hospital soon or the combination of his injuries and exposure to the elements was sure to do him in.

He forced himself to keep moving. Inch by inch, foot by foot, he dragged himself up the embankment. All he had to do was make it to the roadside. If he made it there, his chances of being found by someone were dramatically increased. Inch by inch, foot by foot, he felt the comforting embrace of unconsciousness calling to him.

"Just a little further," he muttered through clenched teeth as he pulled himself another few inches. But unconsciousness was whispering sweetly to him. It made promises of existence without pain, of the warmth of oblivion, things Racer X was determined not to give into. But inch by inch, foot by foot, the offer of escape from the hellish existence he found himself in became ever more tempting.

"Give in," the darkness whispered sweetly "You're getting so tired. You can't go on. Give in and let go. It'll be alright."

Racer X shook his head "No," he whispered with determination permeating his tone "Just… a little… further…"

He could see the barricade that his car had flipped over now. It was a good twenty feet away, looming out of the darkness, a beacon of hope. Of course, in Racer X's condition, twenty feet was more like a marathon. Inch by inch, foot by foot, gritting his teeth he ignored the sweet promises that unconsciousness called out to him. He pushed forward. Eighteen feet left, a few minutes later and only fifteen feet remained. Inch by inch, foot by foot, he began to believe that he would make it.

He couldn't let those men get away with what they had done. He had thought that he had recognized one of the men. The man who had fired the shot that injured his arm looked very similar to the man who had escaped him the day before when he had stopped to help Trixie.

Racer X gritted his teeth. His little brother's family was in danger. There was no way he was going to give up. Inch by inch, foot by foot, he drew closer to the sounds of the road. Cars trucks, people, people who if they saw him would get him to a hospital. Ten feet left and unconsciousness was beginning to make some incredibly tempting offers.

Racer X pushed through the pain. His brother needed him, his family needed him. He wasn't going to give in, not now, NOT EVER! Seven feet remained between him and the barrier. He reached down into the core of his very being, summoning every last fragment of strength in his shattered body to keep going.

Four feet left. He had to make it. He had to. He could not give in, not yet not ever. Two feet and his field of vision was becoming clouded. Darkness was all around him but the darkness of unconsciousness seemed the most prevalent. He had to make it. He didn't have much time now before he lost his fight against the darkness and its promises of sweet relief.

Less than a foot separated him from the partition. He pushed himself harder than he could have ever imagined but what remained of his strength was failing him. Darkness seemed to have won.

As Racer X lay there, his eyes closed, images of his family, his parents, his brothers, his sister in-law and his niece and nephews ran through his mind. He saw Speed holding his son just that morning, promising the boy that he wasn't going to leave. He remembered Speed's bitterness that seemed as if it was directed towards him, Rex. Rex had left, Rex had never come back and if Racer X gave up now, Rex would never come back.

He shook himself awake. There were mere inches separating him from the road. He reached up with his left hand and grasped the top of the barrier. He pulled as hard as he could while at the same time with his unbroken leg, he attempted to get himself into a standing position. His midsection came into contact with the top of the partition. His body tumbled like a ragdoll onto the road.

Racer X never heard the sounds of traffic coming to a screeching hault around him or the screams of passers by as they got out of their cars. He wasn't aware of the paramedics who lifted his limp body onto a stretcher. He lay in blissful unconsciousness, the only thing he knew, the only thing that mattered, he had made it.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO!

Sparky found himself jolted awake in the middle of the night. He sat bolt upright in bed and tried to determine what it was that had awakened him. He listened to the noises around him carefully but nothing in the rest of the house sounded like it was out of place.

Sparky got out of bed and flipped on the light. He walked into the living room and flipped on more lights. Still, there was no sign of what could possibly have jarred him so violently out of his pieceful slumber. He moved to the top of the basement stairs. His three year old Border Collie Danny moved out of the way grumpily as Sparky passed by.

The basement was dark. Sparky flipped on the lights and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He went down into the basement and searched it thoroughly just to be sure. There was no sign that anything was amiss.

He returned to the top of the stairs and closed the door. He turned to Danny "You'd let me know if something was wrong, wouldn't you boy?" he said, affectionately rubbing the dog's head. Danny had scared off robbers twice before and would have been awake and alert if someone who wasn't supposed to be in the house had entered. Instead the dog was half asleep though tolerant of his master's intrusion.

Sparky still had an odd feeling that something somewhere was wrong "Up for a drive boy?" he asked, grabbing his car keys and heading for the door. Danny was awake in an instant and trotting right behind Sparky.

GOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGOSPEEDRACERGO

"It's late," Speed said finally. He and Trixie had been standing by the window, just holding one another for some time now.

"yeah," she nodded and stepped away from the window. A fraction of a second later a rock came crashing through the glass and sailed right through the air in the exact spot that Trixie had just vacated. If she had been standing there, the rock would have struck her in the head.

Speed wasted no time in pushing his wife to the floor as he peered up through the window, on guard in case that rock was just the first of many.

Instead of another rock, while Speed lay on the floor, covering Trixie with his body, a volley of bullets passed over their heads.

From the other end of the house the young parents could hear their infant daughter beginning to cry. Trixie pulled away from Speed and started to crawl in the direction of the nursery. She didn't get very far before she noticed Speedy standing in the doorway to the living room, a look of absolute terror in his eyes. Trixie grabbed her son and pulled him to the floor immediately "It'll be alright sweetheart," she whispered.

Just then they all heard the distinct sound of a car coming to a skrreeching hault. The braking car was followed by the sound of loud and familiar barking as well as angry shouting from a familiar voice.

"Sparky," Speed breathed a huge sigh of relief as the shots stopped.

"Get him Danny!" Sparky screamed as the dog barked and growled, leaping for the gunman. The man was so startled that he dropped his gun and started sprinting away. But Danny was persistant, bounding after the crook with determination.

Sparky didn't even bother to use the front door, leaping through the busted window in his haste "We need to call Inspector Detector," he said breathlessly "Is everyone alright?"

Trixie and Speed picked themselves off the floor. Trixie looked down at Speedy who clung to her with all that he was. He was sobbing uncontrollably and frightened beyond belief but he had not suffered any physical harm.

At that moment she realized something. She looked up at Speed and came to the conclusion that he had noticed it too. Becky was no longer crying.

Filled with alarm, the two parents rushed into the nursery. Unfortunately, when they got there, they were both horrified to see that she was gone. The crib was empty.

"God no," Speed whispered as Trixie dissolved into tears.

"We could have run somewhere were they wouldn't be able to find us," she whispered "Did you really think you could protect us?" she asked as she began to sob harder.

Speed wrapped her in his arms as he cried too "I'm so sorry," he whispered. It was the only thing he could say.

Sparky noticed something and decided to bring it to the attention of the grieving parents. He cleared his throat softly "The window in here hasn't been broken," he told them "Look," he pointed "It's still locked from the inside."

Speed and Trixie came back to their senses immediately. That meant that Becky was likely still in the house and perhaps there had been no intruder after all.

The two of them moved to the room that their two sons shared and to their absolute relief, Becky was there, held safely in the embrace of her big brother as he hummed to her.

"Thank goodness," Trixie said as she reached down and took her daughter from X;s arms.

"She was crying," X explained "Speedy ran out to find you so I got up and got Becky."

"Good job," Speed smiled with relief as he ruffled his son's hair.

The police arrived soon after that and for the third time in two days Trixie and Speed found themselves making statements. An hour or so later Danny returned with a piece of cloth in his mouth. Inspector Detector said that he would take the cloth to have it analyzed and that hopefully it would provide them with some answers.

When the police had gone Trixie stood in the middle of the living room, holding Becky. She stared at her husband and Sparky "Okay," she began "I think I'm entitled to some answers."


End file.
